


Galra Human Guinea Pig

by wordsaplenty



Series: The Most Brilliant Stars [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blind Keith (Voltron), Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-01-10 04:51:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12291627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsaplenty/pseuds/wordsaplenty
Summary: Keith is a bit anxious after learning he's part Galra.  Kolivan is surprised by what he learns about the Red Paladin.Part of my blind Keith AU.Now with a second chapter where Pidge finally gets to run their tests and Kolivan gets to ask Keith an important question.





	1. Chapter 1

“Look at me!” Keith pleaded, fingers digging into his arms as he waited, barely daring to breathe, for Shiro to do as he said.

“Keith…”

“Please, Shiro, I need you to look at me. I need you, I need you to tell me, do I look different? Do I look…” he couldn’t quite bring himself to say the word. After Kolivan’s revelation that the only reason Keith’s blade had suddenly sprung to life and grown in his hands was due to him being part Galra, Keith had been in a state of shock.

He heard Shiro sigh and then felt Shiro’s hands on his shoulders. 

“I need you to listen and to listen good Keith. You are still the same Keith you were before this mission. Just because you are part Galra does not mean you are like Zarkon. The Blades prove that not all Galra are bad.”

“But the team…”

“They understood. I watched their expressions when Kolivan let it slip. They were surprised but that was it. You didn’t know and it’s not your fault. You’re still the same Keith.” Shiro reassured, pulling Keith into his chest. Keith started to relax in Shiro’s hold, the anxiety of the day began to wear off. After returning to the castle with the Blades Keith had hoped to have some time to adjust to the idea that he wasn’t fully human before dumping that on the rest of the team. Kolivan, however, let it slip while talking with Allura. All Keith heard were their gasps of shock before he took off to hide in his room, where Shiro found him.

“Now come on,” Shiro said, stepping back. “Hunks made a massive dinner to welcome us back.”

“I’ll meet you there,” Keith said, wanting a moment to collect himself before facing everyone else. 

“Alright Keith, I’ll see you in a few.” Keith heard the door to his room close behind him as Shiro left. He had already changed out of the suit the Blades had put him in back into his usual t-shirt and jacket. He gingerly reached his hands up to his shoulder, gently running his fingers along the bandage there. Shiro had wrapped his shoulder before they had left the Blades base. Next he moved his hands up to his face. He felt along his chin, his mouth, moving up to his nose. He paused when he came across the rough scar tissue across the bridge of his nose. Next he moved to his ears. They still felt human. 

Keith wasn’t so much upset by the fact that he wasn’t fully human, if anything it made a lot of sense. He’d always felt different but had just thought he was weird, strange, not your normal typical human. Being part alien was almost a relief, it wasn’t completely his fault that he wasn’t normal. What he was worried about was how everyone else would react. The Galra had taken so much from all of them. They had every reason to hate all Galra. Allura and Coran lost everyone and everything because of the Galra. Shiro had been tortured and lost his arm, Pidge had lost their family, Hunk and Lance were constantly in danger because of them. Keith just had to trust that Shiro was telling the truth about the team, that they wouldn’t be scared of him from now on, or even hate him. 

***

Keith made his way to the dinning area, it was bustling with noise, Blades and Paladins alike all talking over each other. There were too many conversations happening at once for him to follow. He was having a hard time picking out where people were sitting because of it. He just hoped that everyone was sitting in the same spots as usual and that they had left his chair open for him. To make things simpler for Keith they had designated a spot at the table for him, one he could easily get to without having to worry about running into other people or things. 

The conversations started to quiet down as Keith made his way to his seat. Reaching out he felt the back of the chair, running his hand over it, making sure that no one else was already sitting there. When he was sure it was empty he pulled it out and sat down. 

“Keith, I was just talking to Kolivan about Galran senses. I have to run some tests to be sure but it seems like their hearing and sense of smell are better than an average humans. It would explain so much about how you were able to adapt so quickly. Meet me in the lab later, I want to compare your hearing versus mine, versus Kolivan's!” Pidge said excitedly from a couple seats away to the right of Keith.

“Goodness Pidge, let Space Daredevil over there get some rest first before you turn him into a human guinea pig…or I guess it’s a Galra guinea pig…human and Galra guinea pig? Just don’t poke him too much Pidge,” Hunk called out to Keith’s left. 

There was a wail right next to Keith. “Space Daredevil. It was right there in front of me. How could I miss that reference?!?! Keith, buddy, tell me you know who Daredevil is?”

“Ummm….” Keith didn’t, he just thought Hunk was calling him that cause of his reckless streak.

“Are you kidding me? Keith, man, buddy o’pal, you are exactly like Daredevil, you’re both…”

“Blind?” Keith took a wild guess. He heard someone drop their utensils on their plate suddenly but paid it no mind.

“Yes, but I was going to say socially awkward loners who are too serious for their own good,” Lance said.

“Well I’ll have to take your word for it,” Keith said with a smile. Shiro had been right, at least most of the team still believed in him. He reached forward to grab his own fork and knife.

Before he could start poking around his plate he felt Shiro lean in close on his other side. “You’ve got some green vegetable things at your 3 o’clock. Goop is at your 12 o’clock, and finally there’s this yellow mushy thing that’s kinda similar to rice at your 7 o’clock.”

“Thanks Shiro,” Keith said, before digging in to the food on his plate. 

“Kolivan, are you sure you want to let Pidge poke and prod you,” Keith asked after a few bites. He wasn’t sure where to turn his sightless gaze so he just looked straight ahead. 

When Kolivan spoke it was down the table to his right. “I am willing to give Pidge any aid I can in helping them understand your genetics.”

“Pidge, maybe this should wait until after we find a way to defeat Zarkon. I don’t want you scaring away our allies before we’ve even done anything,” Shiro stated.

“But Shiro,” Pidge started only to cut off suddenly. Keith could only assume Shiro had given Pidge the look. The ‘I know you’ll make the right choice’ look most likely mixed with the ‘you better not do what you’re thinking’ look. Keith was kind of glad he didn’t have to deal with those looks anymore.

They finished dinner and the Blades and Paladins went their separate ways. Keith was starting to walk to his room when he felt a presence behind him. 

“Red Paladin,” Kolivan began.

Keith turned toward the voice, “Yes Kolivan?”

“Ah, never mind Red Paladin. Rest well.”

“Thanks,” Keith said, slightly confused at the interaction but shrugging it off and making his way to his room.

***  
\--Later in Kolivan and Antok’s room—

Kolivan was pacing up and down the small room. Antok sat patiently on the bed waiting for his leader to collect his thoughts.

Kolivan finally stopped pacing and turned to face Antok. “Did you know?” he demanded.

“Yes.”

“When?”

“When they first entered our base.”

“How did you know?”

“His eyes do not track movement as they should. Did you not notice?”

Kolivan growled low in his throat. “Of course I noticed. I just thought it may be a human trait.”

“And yet the other human tracked movement just fine.”

Kolivan growled again, moving forward as if to grab Antok before deciding against it. “If I had known I would have…”

Antok interrupted Kolivan, “You would have what? Denied him his right to the trials? Does the knowledge that the Red Paladin is blind change what he was able to accomplish?”

Kolivan thought for a moment, “No. No of course not. What he did more than proved his worth, blind or not.”

Antok hummed in agreement. Standing he moved next to Kolivan. “What are you planning?”

“A young one who can handle the number of Blades that he can deserves a place among us." Kolivan paused, collecting his thoughts. "I will offer him a place among the Blades of Marmora.”


	2. To Join or not to Join

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge gets to finally do their tests on Keith and Kolivan. Kolivan asks Keith to join the blades. Shiro gets ridiculously sappy with Keith once again.

“Okay so the first test is going to be on the octaves. Humans can hear up to 10 octaves at most. I want to see if you can hear more than that. Put these on.”

Something crashed directly into Keith’s chest. Fumbling to grab it he realized they were headphones. He heard Kolivan catch something off to his right meaning Pidge had thrown headphones to him as well. 

“This test is simple enough, keep your hand raised as long as you hear noise, when you stop hearing noise, put your hands down. Got it, good!” Pidge started clicking and clacking away at whatever computer or tablet interface they had created.

Keith placed his headphones on and heard a low hum. He raised his hand and kept it raised as the sound got higher and higher. Finally, after what felt like forever, he stopped hearing the hum and dropped his hand. It was a few more minutes before Pidge finally called for a stop. 

Keith took the headphones off and walked over toward where he heard Pidge clacking away furiously. 

“So, what’s the verdict doc, are my ears going to fall off?” Keith asked, holding the headphones out in the direction he was pretty sure Pidge was.

“This is fascinating. I thought this would be the case but it’s completely different having actual proof about it and… wait, Keith, was that a joke? What the heck Keith? You know you’re not allowed to joke when I’m distracted with science stuff!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Keith deadpanned, shaking the headphones around emphatically and smiling when Pidge finally, with a great big huff, grabbed them from his hands.

“What have your tests found Green Paladin?” Kolivan asked. 

“So Keith definitely has enhanced hearing, at least compared to humans. He was able to hear two octaves higher than a standard human can. Now Kolivan, you were able to hear a full three octaves higher than a standard human. I still want to do some more tests. Especially on your other senses. But from this I can only assume that all your sense will be enhanced in comparison to full blooded humans.”

“Right, well let me know when you want to start the vision tests,” Keith said, turning to leave the room, smiling to himself when he heard Pidges indignant shriek.

“Quiznak Keith you’ve gotta give a person some warning before you become mister jokester. Lance and Hunk are gonna be so pissed they missed this.”

“See you later Pidge, oh, wait, never mind.”

Something thwacked Keith on the back of the head as he was making his way out of Pidge’s laboratory which just made his smile even wider. 

Outside the room Keith heard the soft pad of footsteps behind him.

“Red Paladin, might I have a moment of your time?” Kolivan asked.

“Sure, what can I do for you?” Keith asked.

“I have a request of you young one. You have proven yourself to be an impressive warrior. I have spoken with my commanders and we are in agreement. Keith, Red Paladin of Voltron, as the leader of the Blades of Marmora I would like to offer you a place among us. I would like you to join our ranks and become a full member of the Blades of Marmora.”

Keith froze mid step. His mind went blank for a moment in complete shock. Kolivan, the leader of this amazing band of rebel warriors wanted Keith, mix breed nobody to join them. 

“I…thank you for the offer Kolivan but I can’t. My place is here.”

There was a pause before Kolivan replied, “Of course Red Paladin, I understand. Should you change your mind, know that you will always have a place among us.”

“Thanks,” Keith mumbled, turning and walking away wondering if he had made the right decision.

****

“Kolivan asked you what?” Shiro gasped in shock.

“He asked me to join the Blades,” Keith said, continuing to clean his armor. 

“When?” Shiro asked.

“A couple days ago.”

“Well?” 

“Well, what?”

“Keith, you’re being frustrating on purpose. What did you tell Kolivan when he asked?” 

Keith felt Shiro’s presence on his left. They were both supposed to be cleaning their armor after their latest mission to a ridiculously dusty planet. 

“I said no of course.”

“What?”

Keith sighed in annoyance, putting down his cloth. “What, what? What don’t you understand? Kolivan asked, I said no, now can we focus on something else?”

“Are you sure that’s what you want though? I would think you would need some time to think before making such a big decision as that.”

“What was there to think about? If I’m with Kolivan and the blades then I’m not here with Voltron. No me, no Red Lion, no Voltron. Pretty easy decision.”

Keith grabbed his armor and made his way out of the room and started counting steps to get to his room. He was almost at the point where he didn’t even need to count his steps anymore. He had practically memorized the layout of the castle and knew approximately how long it should take him to get to wherever it was he needed to go. If it hadn’t been for the couple of times he had entered Pidge or Lance’s rooms thinking it was his, then he would stop counting his steps all together. But no one wanted a repeat of when he had entered Lance’s room while Lance was naked and changing. This led to Lance freaking out and screaming at Keith to not look which lead to Keith angrily reminding him that he couldn’t see a damn thing anyway so what did it matter. Well, apparently it still mattered to Lance because once he was dressed he pushed Keith unceremoniously out of his room.

Keith heard Shiro fall in line beside him, carrying his own armor.

“Well, is that what you want?” Shiro asked after a few moments of walking in silence.

“To abandon Voltron? No that’s not what I want.”

They had reached Keith’s room, Keith opened the door and dropped his armor on his bed. Shiro followed him in and closed the door.

“Come on Keith, you really don’t want to join the Blade of Marmora? Not even a little bit?”

Keith almost responded with a no again but then paused to think about it. What did he really want?

“It felt good, to be wanted by the Blades, especially after fighting side by side with them and realizing what a force they are. I think I could learn a lot from working with them. Not just about fighting, but maybe even about myself, you know? About my Galra side. But it’s just not in the cards. I’m needed here. This is my place.”

Keith heard Shiro plop down on his bed, Shiro’s armor falling with a thud to the floor. Keith joined him on the bed, moving back so he could rest his back against the wall.

“Why can’t you do both?” 

Keith whipped his head in the direction of Shiro’s voice.

“What?”

“Why can’t you do both?” Shiro repeated.

Keith sighed in exasperation. “I’m blind, not deaf. I heard you but I didn’t understand you. What do you mean why can’t I do both? Because it’s not possible.”

“And again let me ask you why not? We are already working with the Blades on a way to take down Zarkon. I’m sure there will be many missions where we will work side by side with them. I’m also sure that there will be down time where you could train with them or maybe even go on missions with them. If you want to take some time to work with the Blade, to learn from them, we will all support you.”

Keith slumped back against the wall thinking about what Shiro was saying. Was it possible for him to do both? 

“That being said I want to make sure you are absolutely clear on one point. You will always be a Paladin of Voltron. Whether you’re off being a crazy space ninja with the Blades or you’re here being a crazy space Daredevil.”

Keith turned to look at Shiro, nodding in understanding. Then, without warning, he grabbed his helmet and chucked it at where he was fairly sure Shiro’s head was. The resounding thud and pained shout that followed led Keith to believe his helmet had found its mark. Keith jumped up from his bed and quickly made his way to his bedroom door before Shiro could react. 

Just as he opened the door he heard Shiro ask, “What was that for?”

Without turning around he replied, “You’ve been getting far too sappy on me old man. Now, first one to the training deck wins.” With that, Keith took off running, smiling when he heard Shiro running, and stumbling behind him. 

And if later that night Keith went off to find Kolivan and ask if he could train with the Blades every once in a while, well Shiro didn’t need to know that his sappiness made that possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeekkk, okay it's been way too long. I had writers block for a long time, trying to decide if this fic needed a second chapter or if I should work on a new fic all together. Thank you to those who have continued to leave Kudos and comments on this fic! Hopefully this chapter is to your liking! Next up will hopefully be a new fic that takes on season 3 with blind Keith.
> 
> **Special thanks to NixTheLapin47 who's comment was the little kick in the butt I needed to finally sit down and write again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a bit of a filler piece. I might add another chapter to this exploring more Kolivan and Keith interactions, but for now this fic is done.


End file.
